“He’s just extremely skilled, so smart and poised with the puck and it’s just fun to watch him,” added former teammate Marian Hossa, who now plays with the Chicago Blackhawks. “I learned some stuff during the one year (with) him and he really was fun to watch, even in a practice. We face a big challenge and we have to be very careful when he’s on the ice because he can make the difference.”

Datsyuk was named a finalist for the Selke Trophy, which is awarded to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game, on Wednesday for a record sixth consecutive season, surpassing the streaks of Montreal’s Guy Carbonneau (1986-1990) and Bob Gainey (1978-1982) as the longest since the award was introduced in 1978.

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“He’s tricky,” Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith said. “I’d say probably the toughest guy one-on-one to handle in the league, so he’s got a lot of different moves up his sleeve and he competes. You can’t say enough good things about him. We always have our hands full when we play him.”

Chicago’s Jonathan Toews and Boston’s Patrice Bergeron are the other finalists.

“Doesn’t matter where the puck is or where you are, you’ve got to know where he is,” Toews said. “He can come out of nowhere and steal the puck from you and make a play, and before you know it, it’s in your net. He’s as skilled as they come on both sides of the puck and obviously a tough guy. You’ve got to go out there and try to outwork him every shift, because it’s tough to outclass him any other way.”

Datsyuk has won the Selke three times, in consecutive seasons from 2007 to 2010.

“It’s not a big surprise,” Henrik Zetterberg said. “I think he should be up for it every year.”

“He’s one of the hardest guys to play against, offensively and defensively he has all the tools and he’s so strong on the puck,” Kyle Quincey said. “He’s one of those guys you’d never think of hitting because he’ll make you look stupid by going around you or counter-hitting you. He’s probably one of the best overall players in the world. It’s amazing just being in the room and seeing what he does every day on the ice.”

Datsyuk finished tied for the League lead in takeaways (56) and topped the Wings in plus-minus at a plus-21.

“He’s in my mind the best overall forward in the game,” Joakim Andersson said. “For sure I can learn all kind of stuff from him. I can’t do half what he can do with the puck. He’s in the right spots, just making smart plays in the D zone and all over the place.”

Datsyuk will try and pull off a double of sorts as far as winning awards go.

He was given the Kharlamov Trophy, which is presented each year by the Sovetsky Sport to the best Russian player in the NHL, as voted on by the players themselves.

Also, his shootout goal was also voted as the top goal in the KHL this season.

But will he stay or go?

There have been rumors circulating this season the Datsyuk will be heading back to Russia when his contract runs out after next season.

“How long is his deal and how much is he going to make? There’s this much possibility (making a zero with two fingers) that he’s going back to Russia. I mean, we’ll get it done in the summer.”

Datsyuk will make $6.7 million next year.

“Hard to say if it’s my best season, hope it’s not my last season,” Datsyuk said. “Keep playing and improve more.”

Zetterberg, who’s signed until 2021, will make $7.5 million next season.

Ins and outs

Cory Emmerton was back centering the fourth line as Mikael Samuelsson is back sidelined with a pectoral muscle injury.

“You don’t want to watch ever,” said Emmerton, who was a healthy scratch in Sunday’s Game 7 in Anaheim. “I got to watch and it wasn’t a lot of fun. I’ll do my best to not get in that situation again.”

Samuelsson was reinjured sometime in Game 7 against Anaheim on Sunday.

“I have some problems with the same stuff I had before,” said Samuelsson, who hopes to return sometime in this series. “I played Sunday and know it’s Wednesday and the next game’s not till Saturday so we’ll see what happens.”

Drew Miller’s return from a broken right hand may still be a few days away.

“Millsie said he was fine yesterday, but he has no strength in his hand, in his wrist. I don’t know how many days that takes to come back.”

Send comments to chuck.pleiness@macombdaily.com and visit his blog at redwingsfront.wordpress.com